Aeroplane



A. ALBERICO.V

AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY21.1919.

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AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED IIIAYZI, 1919.

1 346, 1 07. Patented July 13, 1920.

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AEROPLANE.

APPLICATION HLEU MAY 2l, 1919.

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f a f f u O2@ 'W fr MLC/0 UNITED STATES ANTONIO .ALBEBICO, 0FI JOLIET, ILLINOIS Annornnnn'.

Specification of Lettersv Patent.

Patented Julyr 13,1920.

Application mea may '21,.,1919. serial No. 298,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AN'romo ALBERIco,

a citizen of the United States, residing at 608 North YChicago street, Joliet, county of Will and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Aeroplanes, of which the following is a. speciiication.

This invention relates to aeroplanes and it has for an ob'ect to provide anovel type of aeroplane o great power suitable for carrying passengers and mail, and having its propelling means so arranged and constructed as to minimize risk of failure thereof during flight.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularlyl set-forth.

Figure l of the drawings isa side elevation Vof an aeroplane embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fra entary longitudinal sectional view showlng the forward part of the aeroplane body and the disposition yof the power plant therein;

Fig.\-5 is a front view, partly in section of the lifting and trailer propeller equipped with running gear;

Fig. 6 isa fra mentary sectional view on theline 6 6 of ig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detail view of a portion of the drive connections to the side tractorv propellers; and

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the drive connections to the rear propeller.

As here shown my improved aeroplane comprises an elongated body divided into an upper story or section 1, and a vlower story or section 2. I have here shown the aeroplane as of the biplane type having a pair of lifting planes 3 and 4, secured in any suitable way to the body of the aeroplane and braced by the vertical struts 5, and diagonal braces 6.v f

It will be understood that the number of llifting planes maybe varied, a biplane structure for instance being also suitable.

The planes may-be provided with the usual balancing ailerons as indicated at-7, while the rear endof the bod may be provided wlth a rudder 8, and sta ilizing plane 9, of p the usual type. The detail construction of the planes and the -rudder and stabilizingl 'means need not be set forth here, sincetheyi 60 will be made up in the manner common toi aeroplanes. According to my invention I provide-al` novel arrangement of propelling means com-` i prising a pair of propeller's 10 and 11, lo-

cated centrally of the sections l and 2 of the body respectively, andv a pair of side propellers 12 and 13, located in opposite sides of the body and just infront of the planes. These propellers ma be all of ordinary construction and are esigned to eX- erta tractive'force only.

I also provide another series of propellersl which are of a novel construction, and which comprise a, central propeller 14 located under the rear end of the body, and a' pair of side propellers 15 located under the lifting .plane 4. These propellers are mounted on shafts, 16 and 17, respec- 17 may be supported in the bearing 22 dfbpending from the body of the aeroplane.

In order to render unnecessary the provision of additional landing and runnin gear I-mount a novel form of landing an running gear on each of the propellers 14- and 15. As here shown a series of bowsprings 25 are secured at one end to rings '26', surrounding and fixed to the propeller vanes 18, and at their o posite ends to the wheelrims 27 u on whic -are mounted tires 3() of any suita le construction.

The power plant of my improved aeroplane comprises a pair of motors for the propellers and 11, a second pair for the propellers 12 and 13, a third pair for the propellers 15 and a fourth pair for thepro- `pellers 14. or convenience in grouping, one motor of each pair is vlocated in the upper section of the aeroplane body, and the other in the lower section.

The motors of each pair drive through a commonmechanism, each motor being of sufficient power to. drive the two propellers to which it is connected in case of breakdown of the other motor, motors of the latest internal combustion type of high power being preferably employed. f

The motors for the `propellers 10 and 11, are indicated at 35 and 36, (Fi 4) for the propellers 12 and 13, at 37 and 38 for the propellers 15, at 39 and 40; and for the nopeller 14at 41 and 42, (see Fig. 1). first three pairs are preferably located in the forward endof the aeroplane body, and the last pair toward the rear end.

The propellers 10 and 11 are mounted on the forwardends of suitable journaled shafts 44 and 45, having bevel gears 46 and 67 on their rear ends, which mesh with the bevel gears 48 and 49 on a vertical shaft 50,v

which extends from the lower section into the upper. Fixed to the shaft 50 in the upper section isa bevel gear 5l, which meshes with another bevel gear 52 on a Y' shaftl 53', connected by a clutch to motor 35. Similarly, a second bevel gear 54 is fixed to shaft 50 in the lower section, and meshes with a bevel gear 55 on a shaft 56, connected by aclutch 57 with motor 36.

Immediately behind the motors and 36 are located the motors 39 and 40 for the propeller-s 15. These motors drive the bevel gears 60 and 61 meshing with bevel gears 64 and 65 on a vertical shaft 66, which eX- tends below the body of the aeroplane, and l has fixed on its lower end a bevel gear 67, meshing with a bevel gear 68 on the shaft 17 of the propeller 15.

yImmediately behind the motors 39 and 40 are located the motors 37 and 38, which drivethe propellers 12 and 13. These mo tors drive the bevel gears 7 0 and 71 through the clutch connections 72 and 73. The gears v70 and 71 mesh with other gears 74 and 75, l on a Vertical shaft 76, upon. whichl is fixed a third bevel gear 77 meshing in turn with a pair of bevel gears 78-and 79, fixed on the inner ends of transverse shafts 80 and 8l. f

lOn the outer ends of the shafts are fixed bevel gears 82 4and 83, meshing with other gears 84 and 85, on the rear ends of longitudinally extending shafts 86 and' 87, t9 the forward ends of which are fixed the .propellers 12 and 13.

A platform 88, tapering in width toward the rear is provided on a level with the floor of the upper story, this platform preferably extending substantially Athe length of the hev and tractor propeller located under rear end body, and being rigidly held by any suitn able system ofbracmg. The shaftsSO, 81 and 86, 87 may be Journaled in suitable bearings, as indicated at 89, on.the underside of the platform. 70

The connections yfrom the motors 41 and 42 comprise a verticalV shaft 90 driven from the4 motors by clutch connected bevel gears, as previously set forth, and driving a stub shaft 91, throughthe bevel gears 92 and 92 75 on the end' of which shaft is a sprocket wheel 93, connected by a chain 94 to a second sprocket wheel 93 on the shaft 16.

The body of the aeroplane may be fitted up in any suitable manner, as after the fashion of railway cars, for the accommodation of passengers, and for the transportavtion of mail and express matter. -A small cabin 95 may be provided in the forward end of the upper story for the pilot, in which the usual Acontrol members, not necessary here to be shown, will be located. A ladder 96 may extend down one side of the aeroplane body through suitable openings in the floors of the cabin and upper story, for 90 use of the crew in passing from one compartment to another.

Having thus described my invention what I claim asvnew and desire to secure by 'Letters Patent, is

1. An aeroplane having a body divided into upper and lower stories, a propeller located 'centrally in front of each story, and a pair of side propellers located substantially midway of the height of the said body, separate pairs of motors having the different motors of'each pair located respectively in the upper and lower stories, and common p driving .connections between the said different motors of each pair and 'the center and side propellers respectively.

2. An aeroplane having a pair of centrally located tractor propellers, a pair lof side tractor propellers, and a combined lifting thereof.

3. An aeroplane having a pair of central tractor propellers, a pair of side, tractor propellers, and a plurality of combined lifting and tractor propellers disposed one under the rear end of the body of the aeroplane and one on each side of the body under the lifting plane thereof. l

4.l n aeroplane having a body divided into upper and lower stories, a propeller located in front of each story, a motor llocated in each story, and a common driving connection between said motors and said propellers.

5. An aeroplane having a body divided into `upper ,and lower stories, a propeller located in front of each story, a motor located in each story, and a common drivin connection between said motors and sai propellers, said aeroplane including a verti- 130 cal shaft extendn from one story to the other and ada )tec to be clutch connected to either or bot of said motors. V

6. In an aeroplane, a combined land and air propeller disposed in the understructure and a load carrying housing covering the upper half of said propeller, the said understruoture resting upon the said housing and the said propeller being journaled in the said housing.

7. An aeroplane lia-ving an air propeller disposed in the understruoture thereof on a transverse aXjS, a Wheel member of less width than said prope11er`surroundng said propeller, and bow springs the sides of the air propeller to the said Wheel member to form a resilient mounting for the latter.

8. An aeroplane having an air propeller disposed in the understructure thereof on a 20 transverse axis, and a wheel member resiliently mounted on the peripheral. edge of said propeller. l

In testimony whereof:l I have aiixed my signature.

ANTONIO ALBERICO.

extending from 15 

